{"id":27988,"date":"2018-09-18T06:00:35","date_gmt":"2018-09-18T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=27988"},"modified":"2025-08-24T06:42:56","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T13:42:56","slug":"fiordland-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/fiordland-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"A GUIDE TO FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK, NEW ZEALAND"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>Everyone planning a trip to New Zealand has heard of Milford Sound, part of the Fiordland National Park. Imagine drifting on a ferry, dwarfed by the rugged mountains that appear through the mist. It is a spectacular and romantic thought, but when my husband and I visited Milford Sound earlier this year, it was no tranquil nature getaway. Instead, it was swarming with cars, coaches and tourists pouring over the footpath, armed with cameras and backpacks. Anxiously we tried to find a car park but left in a flurry of panic and angst. We hadn\u2019t even seen the sound itself!<\/p>\n

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<\/span>We did make the drive out to Milford Sound again, but that time we went at dusk and the place was nearly deserted. Here and there a couple walked hand in hand, or a photographer set up his tripod. We saw the sound and walked on the foreshore under the impressive Mitre Peak. I was glad we returned, although earlier in the day I couldn\u2019t wait to get away from the place.\u00a0Fiordland National Park (including Milford Sound) is very beautiful, but it is also very popular. I wish I had been able to plan my visit more effectively in order to engage with the landscape peacefully. So for you travellers who are also averse to a crowd but still want to see the splendour of Fiordland National Park, I have put together a guide for you.<\/p>\n

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GETTING THERE<\/h3>\n

<\/span>There is only one road into Fiordland National Park which stretches from the town Te Anau to Milford Sound. It takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, although it\u2019s best to spend time popping into various lookouts and hikes along the way. As we discovered, a popular way for tourists to explore the park is by coach.\u00a0There are numerous companies who operate from Te Anau and take visitors to all the main attractions. Of course, for me this was not a desirable option: I wanted to go my own pace and to stop places along the way that are less well-known. We drove a hire car and camped two nights in the park.<\/p>\n

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Some of the roads are quite windy and narrow in places, which can be scary if you\u2019re trying to overtake a slow coach! There\u2019s a fantastic stretch of road towards the end of the highway where you have to pass through Homer Tunnel. It\u2019s a one-way 1.2km tunnel that is controlled by a traffic light. You\u2019ll probably have to wait for a while as traffic comes from the other way, but you won\u2019t be bothered: the view from there is incredible.<\/p>\n

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LOOKOUTS & SHORT STOPS<\/h3>\n

Even though we were going our own pace, we were often engulfed by swarms of tourists streaming off their coaches in many of the spots. I suggest making the most of the early hours of the morning and the final hours of daylight to avoid the crowds, especially for the places that you particularly want to visit. Below are some of my recommendations, but there are plenty more hidden gems to discover. I have starred the stops that we encountered a crowd.<\/p>\n